Change
by SSRenaissance
Summary: Combeferre mused on his life whilst walking home from the Musain. However, when h crosses path with an unfortunate soul, he decided that perhaps a revolution is not what they needed, after all. P.S: Killian Donnelly is Combeferre, so, use your imagination. Read and review!
1. Chapter 1

The first time he noticed is at the meetings, of course. The girl sitting beside Marius, looking down timidly at her glass. Her brown hair drapes in front of her face like a velvet curtain. She's always sitting next to Marius.

He often sees her talking to Gavroche. Laughing as they strolled casually from the meetings. He'd heard Gavroche claiming her to be her sister several times. Well, before he fled from his parent's abode and lived on the streets. He also heard Marius mentioned her a few times.

Lately, He always came home late to help Enjolras with the planning of the revolution. The meeting had been, well, the same as always.

Enjolras talks, Grantaire would make some of his usual remarks based off whatever his inebriated mind could process, the others laughed, Enjolras glares and it goes on and on and on and on, as it is every night for the past months.

He honestly didn't know why he got himself into this. He has a decent life here, a career he is striving for, a family who loves him. Why wasting his life? Why die young?

He finds himself asking the same question every night. No. He isn't ready to die. But how can he tell Enjolras he quits? Enjolras is a very dedicated man and thinks everyone in their group is willing to die for Dear Motherland.

What will he say? "Hello, Enjolras. I came here to resigned from the revolution because I'd decided I'm not ready to die" That? Yeah, that would go over well.

He scoffed. Here he was. The second in command. Their second leader. But he is no better than Courfeyrac, or Grantaire, or the rest of them.

Prouvaire always has his head in the clouds. Courfeyrac is only here because it would look good in front of the ladies (they just can't resist the image of a hero fighting for the downtrod). And Marius would lose focus the moment he found some pretty burgeois girl (yeah, he knows that type of kid)

He kicked a pebble. It was quite well into the night. Probably 9 or 10. He pulled his jacket around him tighter. His blonde hair already dishelved due to the times his hand had ran over it.

Suddenly, he heard a girl's sob. He turned around, suddenly alarmed. His friends often told tales of ghosts and other mythical creatures when the professor isn't in class. 'Ghosts are not real, ghosts are not real...' He chanted in his mind as he walked cautiously over to the source.

'Ghosts are not real...' Slowly, his hands reached out for the source's shoulder. "Excuse me, Mademoiselle" The girl immediately spun her head around. He gave a discreet sigh of relieve.

He took in her appearance. Her face is worn out, her eyes red and brimming with unshed tears, a mark in the shape of a hand marring her pale face, bruises littering down her arms. What had happened to this girl?

"Are you well?" The girl sniffled, but stood up. "I'm fine" She said as she walked away.

He suddenly reminded. The girl. From Musain. Gavroche's sister. "I know you"

She doesn't stopped, only slapped her bare feet against the cobblestones faster. "You're Eponine, Gavroche's sister, isn't it?"

He tried to catch up with her furious paces. "So?"

"I'm Combeferre! From the meeting?" She finally turned around and gave him an exasperated look.

"Look, I need to get home right now, clear? Whatever it is you want to say, it can wait, okay?" She walked away.

"Wait!" He called after the girl, but she is already out of sight. He sighed and turned the other way. Why is it such a bother, anyways? It's just some girl who happens to know few of his acquaintances, and apparently visits the meeting every night. What is it to him?

He finally reached his apartment. He closed the door as silently as he could.

He threw his bag and threw himself onto the bed. Tonight had been one long day. His doubts in the revolution had took over, he tried to follow a random girl, and bills need to be payed.

He blew off the candle on his nightstand and tries to drowned his worries in sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite the promise he'd made a few weeks ago, Combeferre keeps finding himself attending the meeting everynight. And he always sees the girl on her usual spot sitting next to Marius.

She didn't said anything to anyone except Marius or Gavroche.

However, tonight, it had been half into the meeting and still he didn't see the girl walked in, nor did he seen Gavroche in here.

He decided that he would asked someone. "Courfeyrac, had you seen Gavroche today?"

Courfeyrac took a sip of his ale and looked around, "No, I mean, I had seen him quite a few times on the streets today but, I didn't see him here, why'd you asked?"

Combeferre frowned. This is unusual, and worrying him. Could something happened to the two? "I don't know, it just bothered me, somehow, regarding how much trouble he's probably in right now"

From where he was sitting, Combeferre could tell Courfeyrac is clearly troubled. He could tell by how the other man swirled the ale absentmindedly. "I'm going to find him"

Combeferre stood up from his seat. "Wait, I'm coming with you!" Courfeyrac said as he followed behind him.

The chilly Parisian air greets them as they stepped out of the café. The two pulled their coats tighter around them. Combeferre didn't know where the boy could be, and they didn't know where Eponine could be by now. The two children are very agile and light on the feet, who knows how far they'd reached by now.

"Any idea where he could be?" Combeferre shook his head. Courfeyrac sighed wearily, "It's going to be a tough one" The two went on with their task.

It was well into the night and the streets had been quieted down. Rarely do people passed the streets. "Combeferre, I think we should head home" Courfeyrac said. He was worried that they would crossed path with some vicious gang and they would rob them blind and kill them in a heartbeat.

"Courfeyrac, we're both grown men. No need to be afraid of the dark" Courfeyrac eyed the surroundings around him warily. Who knows what kind of people lurking behind the shadows? Murderer, thief, robber, and probably some other evil people.

"Who knows what kind of people probably watching us right now? Let's just head back to the tenement where we'll be safe and sound," Courfeyrac tried, but Combeferre didn't even turned his head. "Ethan, come on, please" Courfeyrac pleaded.

Combeferre keeps walking along the dark road. "Combeferre, if we keep going, I swear I'm going to pee in my pants out of fear right now!" Courfeyrac whispered harshly

Combeferre turns abruptly. "I think I just heard someone yelling for help" Courfeyrac groaned, "Combeferre, it's not funny!"

"Who on earth said I'm joking? I'm dead serious here!" Courfeyrac looked around as the boyish voice came again. "Help! Please!" The boy seemed to be close to breaking down. Finally, the source came close.

Gavroche? "Messieurs, please help my sister! She is wounded badly, please help her, Messieurs!" The boy pulled on their sleeves. Courfeyrac crouched down, "Gavroche? What happened to your sister?"

"M'sieur Courfeyrac?" The boy asked hopefully. It amazed Combeferre how gentle Courfeyrac seemed to be when he's with Gavroche. And this is not an act to impress the ladies. Courfeyrac genuinely loves the boy like he's his own little brother.

"Father beats her...because she didn't bring home enough money, he says. He tries to make her go down to the dock but she refused. Please, Messieurs! He beats her bad this time, and he'll drag her down to the dock. Please, help her!"

"Can you show me the way to your parents' home?" Gavroche wiped his tears and nodded. They dashed through the bends of Paris and finally arrived at a rotting building.

Combeferre frowned. Gavroche led them to their parents' quarter, which is on the second floor. "He's gone" The three managed to enter unsoundedly.

Eponine layed flat, blood pooling out of her. Her body full of bruises. Dried blood caked her figure. "This is quite bad..." Combeferre muttered to himself. He's pretty sure it's a stab wound. What kind of person would do this to his own daughter?

After performing a quick examination, they three (along with Eponine, who is currently held by Combeferre) got him to Combeferre's apartment.

They slipped inside. "I need to cut her shirt, I'm pretty sure she'd been stabbed" Gavroche only gives him a silent permission. Soon, Combeferre is already working on the young gamine.

Combeferre is very nervous. Sure, he is a medical student but he never had a patient before. If he messes this one up, her blood is surely on his hands. 'Some comfort,' he thought to himself.

Hours later, he finally managed to stitched the wound. He smiled a little as he finished with the work.

He rummaged through his wardrobe. He's sure some of his sister's old clothes are left here. But he managed to find no clothes, only an old nightgown of his sister's.

He put it on the girl. Gavroche is already fast asleep. Both the glass of milk and the plates of bread and cheese are already empty. "He scarved down the food, poor thing hadn't had a meal in awhile" Courfeyrac said as he smiled sadly at the sleeping figure of the little boy.

Combeferre slumoed at the armchair next to his friend. "How is his sister?"

"She's fine, only sleeping right now" Combeferre smiled tiredly.

"I can tell by how Gavroche speaks of her, she's the closest thing he has to a mother" Gavroche stirs lightly in his sleep. The boy's bony figure saddens him. This boy is smart. He should be going to school, be a child, study, read, write.

Yet, this small boy had been through hell and back. Fleed from home at such young age, living the hardship of the streets, not having a meal everyday.

"Ethan, what will we do with them? We can turn our backs on them" Courfeyrac said worriedly.

"I don't know, Alexandre" The two was silent. They couldn't leave Gavroche and Eponine on the streets. But they couldn't afford to have emotional attachment to the two for the revolution is approaching. But if they turned their backs on these two, then they are condemned.

"It's getting late, Alexandre, why don't you take Gavroche to your quarter" Courfeyrac nodded numbly and took the sleeping boy into his arms.

He walks towards his small apartment. He has a bed, which he thinks will be enough for the two of them. He tucked Gavroche in and head to change into a sleeping attire.

He slipped in under the blanket next to the sleeping boy. He looks so young, so...pitiful.

This boy deserves the world. He didn't deserves all these hardships.

Courfeyrac makes up his mind. He will not abandon this boy. He will care for him and protect him as if he's his own child. He will want for nothing. He will show him love, and care, and happiness, anything he yearned for.

He smiled. Yes, Gavroche will want for nothing evermore. From now on, he will have a better life.

a/n: It's already chapter two! Can you believe it?! And by the way, Killian's Combeferre? OBSESSED! I am absolutely,MOST DEFINITELY OBSESSED w/ Killian Donnelly right now. And Samantha Barks! Just imagine the two together *blinded by a super bright ray of cuteness, I CAN'T TAKE IT!* (Fun fact: They dated!). I also love that moment where he said to Aaron, "Enjolras, no" Just. Love. It. And his "Gavroche!" aaaawwww...I'm swooning :") I'm just completely...in love.

And which is part of the reason I write this story. And because of I love Courfeyrac (and Fra Fee is just a cute Irish hobbit) and Gavroche's father-and-son like relationship, I decided to incorporate the two into this story. And I think they will be pret-ty heavily involved in this.

Special thanks to AnnaLiz2012, Aaronjolras (ha, I often referred to Enjolras in the movie with that name), dizzyizzy123 (and thank you for reviewing! It means a lot!) and crusadecrusader, thank you guys SO MUCH! Your favorites, follows, and review means a lot to me :') Thank you guys so, very much! Okay, I'm going to shut up now before I start bawling.

Next chapter should be up tomorrow if everything is alright. So, cheerio, fellas! 'til next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Gavroche opened his eyes sleepily. He felt oddly...comforted. He finally realized he is laying on a bed, and a pretty huge one, though lacking the grandeur. He smells himself. He is definitely bathed for he could smell some soap. And a fresh shirt!

He rubs his eyes. He could hear the sound of papers and a clinking of cups.

Monsieur Courfeyrac smiled as soon as he sees him standing awkwardly by the doorway of his bedroom. "Gavroche, I didn't know you're awake" He said from the table. "Here, come! Has some breakfast!" He beckons Gavroche to come towards the table.

Courfeyrac then handed him a bowl of mushroom soup. "The proprietress made me this last night when we came home from picking up Eponine, eat up" The boy hesitatingly took his first spoonful of soup. But then, perhaps from his growling stomach, more spoonfuls are going into his mouth.

Gavroche smiled happily as he wiped the excess of his soup off the corners of his mouth. However, he noticed the slight rigidness in the student's frame, he is clearly hiding something. "M'sieur Courfeyrac?"

The student finally snapped out of his reverie and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Come, I think Eponine and Combeferre is already waiting for us in his flat" The child followed him as they ventured to Combeferre apartment upstairs.

Combeferre and Eponine are sitting quietly. Combeferre stirred his tea absentmindedly, while Eponine just stare out the window. Combeferre cleared his throat, "Eponine, may I ask you a question?" Eponine only shrugged nonchalantly in a silent permission.

"I know this must've sound rather...suspicious," He took in a deep breath. "But would you like to live with me?" Eponine bolted upright. "What?!"

Combeferre suddenly feels small. He may've been bigger in size, but he knows little in ways of self defence., and this girl...well, she might've learned quite a lot. "Courfeyrac and I thought...it would've been better for you and Gavroche, and safer!"

"To hell with safety! You know Paris! There isn't a safe place at all! What if my father found us?!" She nearly screamed. "w-well, we can come up with something!" He heard Eponine muttered something that sounds like, 'That's real comforting,' under her breath.

"But I have no doubt that Gavroche will be taken care of, Courfeyrac cares a great deal about that boy! He will have an education, meals, clothes! Think of how happy he will be!" Combeferre finally regained his confidence. The girl acrossed of him sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll think about it"

He grinned. He stood up when he heard a knock at his door. He quickly strode over to the main door and open it. "Morning Combeferre, how's Eponine?" Courfeyrac asks. "Uh...she's fine, just resting in the spareroom" Courfeyrac and Gavroche follows Combeferre to the spare bedroom where Eponine is currently resting.

"Eponine!" Gavroche quickly walked over to Eponine. "Hey there! Someone's dressing up!" Gavroche grinned proudly. "You look like a little Monsieur!" Eponine joked. Courfeyrac clears his throat. The two immediately looked up towards the two man standing by the bedroom doorway. "Well, now that we all are here..." Courfeyrac started, "Combeferre?"

Gavroche looks puzzled. His mind tried to process what's going on. "What's going on, 'Ponine?" Eponine set Gavroche next to her. "Courfeyrac wants you to move in with him" Gavroche stared at Eponine wide-eyed. "But don't worry, I'll stay with Combeferre also" She explains.

"Oh..." Gavroche mutters. "That's fine with me" Gavroche shrugs. The three looks relieved. Eponine was, at first, scared at how her brother would react. But now that everything seems fine, she is visibly relieved. She exchanged a smile with Combeferre as they watched Courfeyrac trying to teach Gavroche how to read.

It'd been a few months since Eponine is moving in with Combeferre, and Gavroche with Courfeyrac. The boy is really couldn't be happier. Even though his clothes are simple, but it is definitely an improvement from the rags he used to wear.

And Combeferre and Courfeyrac had been trying to teach them how to read, write and calculate. They also gained weight, in which Eponine is grateful for.

By now, the four are inseparable. They always attend the meetings together. The Les Amis clearly sees the change in the two Thérnadier siblings. They are more...nourished, more happy. They used to look like lost children, now it seems like they have a sense of direction.

"I...it's...m-more...than...a...f-f-frog" Gavroche stammered as he tries to read a sentence on the thin storybook Courfeyrac had bought him. "That is nice, Gavroche" Courfeyrac praises, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Now, why don't you work your writing with Grantaire while I go check on your sister?"

Surprisingly, Grantaire had offered to teach the boy how to write. It's amazing how the usual winecask can actually sober up. Courfeyrac watched with an amused smirk as he watch the two playful banter whilst Grantaire tried to have Gavroche write the alphabets.

Eponine, on the other hand, seemed to managed quite fast. She can write fluently, now, and can manage reading a novel. Her thin frame also starts to fill up, also, and to be honest, she looks quite beautiful now that she actually has some weight and much-needed cleanliness. It seems that those afternoon spent with the landlady really did some good after all.

Eponine is in the corner of the room, chatting with Combeferre and Marius. Eponine and Marius seemed to be in quite a banter while Combeferre would occassionally throws his own bits here and there.

'They would make quite a good couple, though. Better than Eponine and Marius could ever be,' He tilted his head to one side. They looked kind of suited to each other.

Besides, Combeferre had been talking about her non-stop. Well, not non-stop, but nearing that point. Anytime he greets him and asks how things are, he would respond with, "Eponine this," or "Eponine that" Combeferre is really devoting himself to care for Eponine. 'Which is a symtomp of a smitten chap' Courfeyrac rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Well, Combeferre would never say he is if he asks. But...'He will come to his senses, eventually' Courfeyrac shrugs.

Combeferre, Eponine, and Marius is laughing jovially. More than once did Eponine lightly touched his arms or praises him. "I certainly don't understand what his points are!" Eponine and Marius are already broke into another heap of laughter. Their faces already red from the previous rounds of laughter.

"Well, I certainly understand though, you are quite a beautiful flower now, 'Ponine!" Marius laughs. Combeferre is confused. Did he just..._flirts _with Eponine? Oh, Goodness. This is certainly not happening. This is mad.

"Hello, hello!" Courfeyrac steps in, throwing one arm around his shoulder and one on Marius's. He couldn't be more grateful. "Courfeyrac, how did Gavroche do?" Eponine smiled. "He's doing great!"

Eponine and Courfeyrac fell into a deep discussion about Gavroche and his progress. "Combeferre, may I talk to you?" Marius asks timidly.

"Sure," He stood up from the chair and followed Marius outside. They stood up into the chilly spring air.

"What is it?" He looked up at Marius questioningly. "I need your help,"

"If it is in my power, then I will try to do as much as I can" Marius become more fidgety. "Will you...help me" He sighed agitatedly. "Combeferre, will you help me with Eponine?"

In that moment, Combeferre is so sure that the world had lost its course. And he is the cause.

A/N : Cliffy, weeee! I love writing cliffy! DUNDUNDUN...what will Combeferre says?! TUNE IN! And don't forget tooooo...READ AND REVIEW! GOODNIGHT! Xx. SSRenaissance


	4. Chapter 4

"What...?" Combeferre asks confusedly. "Well...will you help me to...you know" Combeferre ran his hand through his blonde hair. What should he say? Lord knows how Eponine had been crushing on Marius since forever and the boy had done nothing but bring her trouble and grief.

"I don't know, Marius..." But it seems that Pontmercy is very determined. "Please, Combeferre! Besides, you don't hold anything towards her, right?" Combeferre scrunched his eyebrows together. "...do you?" Marius asked somewhat accusingly. "What?! Of course not!"

"Well then, will you help me?" Combeferre sighed agitatedly. "Fine! I'll help you!" Marius throws his arms around Combeferre. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Can't...breathe!" He gasped out. Marius let him go and smiled sheepishly. Combeferre straightened his outfit and shook his head before leaving Marius to go inside the café.

"I'll make sure to invite you in our wedding!" Marius calls. Combeferre shook his head.

He steps in into the café. Already, Enjolras made one of his speeches. There are few attendants, including some of the students from the university that some of them had invited.

Enjolras is standing on top of a table. The red flag was lain across it. He could see some of the newcomers nodding in approval. He smiled inwardly, nice to know that they finally see the injustices that'd been going around for quite some time.

Gavroche was sitting next to Courfeyrac. He would cheer in approval whenever Enjolras says something particularly stirring. The red, blue and white pin stucked to his coat.

His eyes searched the room for Eponine. Eponine is standing not too far behind from her brother. He could see Pontmercy snaked behind her and lightly tapped her shoulder.

Eponine turns around when she felt a hand softly weighed on her shoulder. "Oh, Monsieur Marius" She says with a sigh. She was relieved that at least it's not her father or one of his man. "Oh, sorry, did I startled you?" Eponine shrugs. "Well, one can never be too careful when one's living on the streets"

Marius frowns, he was about to say something but he was cutted off with cheers. Enjolras had finished his speech for the night and is already surrounded by the attendants. Eponine went over to sit on one of the bar stools.

"So, how'd you been doing?" Marius said, lowering down next to an availabe seat next to Eponine. "Oh, nothing much. Courfeyrac been teaching Gavroche how to read and write" Marius tilted his head. "What?" Eponine chuckles. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Marius smirks. "Oh, nothing. Believe me,"

They both went silent for a few seconds. Marius looking at Eponine with an amused interest. He propped his tilted head against his hands. "You always the one who always teases," He said out of the blue. "That, Monsieur, I do" Eponine raised the cup to her mouth and took a slow sip, letting the warmth spreads through her throat.

"I like it, though" Marius said nonchalantly. Eponine nearly choked on her drink, causing some of the ginger slipped out of her lips. "Pardon?" Marius shrugs, "I like the way you always tease" Marius smirks playfully.

"I like the way you talk, Monsieur" Eponine turns her head towards him, holding his gaze steadily with her own.

Eventually, Marius is the one breaking their stare-off. "But I think we all can agree we like Enjolras's way of talking better" He coughed out, his face flushing from Eponine's words.

"Well, there is no doubt on that one..." Eponine said absent-mindedly. "...Except the National Guard, or the richmen and the parliament, and let's not forget the King, besides we do trying to oppose him"

"That...is correct" Eponine grinned proudly. "I told you there's lots of things I know" Eponine said, stepping out into the chilly spring air. Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Gavroche already walking well in front of them.

Eponine had been aware of the hands that'd been leading her outside. She only flashed Marius a smile before running up to catch up with Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Gavroche.

"'Ponine, she knows her way around" Marius only stare from afar at the four retreating figures before going back to his own flat.

A/N: And...CUT! So, I know this isn't as long as I usually write, but there's more coming I promise you! So, I'll hold a voting, which one do you root for, Marius...or...Combeferre! You can vote by saying which one you pick in the review, and I'll count them next Friday! Remember! Bye!


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